Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



C. H. LAY

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Nov. 23 1926.

Filad Feb. 5, 1924 Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED s'rrss PATENT OFFICE." 1

CHARLES H. LAY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH- 86 SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SYVISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- sYLvANrA. I

RAILWAY -TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Application filed February 5, 1924. Serial No. 690,735.

My invention relates to railway traflic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type comprising trackway signals controlled in accordance with traffic conditions.

I will describe one form of trackway apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View showing one arrangement of signals to which my invention may be applied. Fig. 2 is a view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention applied to the control of signal S in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in'both views. 7

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference characters a and Z) designate the track rails of a portion ofrailway track over which traiiic moves in both directions. This portion of track is divided, by passing sidings M, N and 0, into two stretches AD and EH. Stretch A D is further divided by means of insulated joints 17, into a plurality of successive track sections AB,

BC, Cal). In similar manner stretch EH is divided into track sections E-F, FG, GH.

Trafiic through the stretch EH from east to west is governed by signals S, S and S while tratfic through this stretch in the opposite direction is governed by signals S S and S. Stretch A-D is similarly provided with signals S", S S S S and S. The passing siding N is protected by signals S and S As here shown a pair of opposing signals is located adjacent each end of each section, although I do not desire to be limited to this particular location and distribution of the signals.

The signals for stretch AD are so controlled that when a train moving toward the east enters this stretch signals S", S and S are placed at stop. Signal S remains at stop till the train has moved out of the stretch thus prohibiting a westbound train from entering the'stretch. As the eastbound train enters the stretch, it also causes signal S to indicate stop, and as it passes signals S and S these signals also display stop indications. When the train clears section AB, signal S? changes to the caution indication, and when the entire train passes out of section BC, this signal returns to the proceed indication. Signal S changes to the caution position when the train moves out of sectionBC andto proceed when the train moves out of section CD. Two or more trams may therefore follow each other through the stretch under the same signal protection as is customarily provided for double track roads. Similarly when a westbound train enters stretch AD,' signals S, S S and S are placed at stop and signal S subsequently changes successively to caution and proceed. Signal S changes to stop when passed by the train'and subse quently changes to caution and proceed as the train clears the next section in advance and the second section in advance, resped tively.

- The signals for stretch -EH are controlled in the same manner as the signals for stretch AD.

WVhenever signal S indicates stop, signal S of course indicates caution, and whenever signal S indicates stop signal S? indicates caution. Moreover, when an eastbound train occupies stretch A-D signal S as well as signal S indicates caution, but when a westbound train has passed signal S thus allowing signal S to indicate caution, signal S indicates proceed.

Ordinarily, when an eastbound train passes signal S this signal remains at stop till the train passesout of section BC, and signal S remains at stop till the train passes out of section CD. Similarly, when an eastbound train passes signal S this signal ordinarily remains at stop till the train passes out of section FG.

Signaling systems operating in this man ner are well known in the. artas absolute permissive block signaling systems, and various known means may be provided to accomhave signalS display a proceed indication provided sections D-E and EF are unoccupied. The reason for this is to allow back-up moves which may be necessary .or

desirable in manipulating trainsin the neighborhood of a passing siding.

The object of the present lnvention there fore is the provision of novel and simple means for permitting this operation of signal S Referring now to Fig. 2, the main track of siding N is provided with a track battery 18 and a track relay R Section E-F is divided into two sub-sections EJ and J-F. Sub-section E-J is provided with a battery 18 and a track relay R and sub-section JF is provided with a similar battery .18 and track relay R Located adjacent track relay R is a polarized relay K This relay K is provided with a circuit which passes from battery 60, through the upper arm of pole-changer P, wires 61 and 62, contact (53 of the relay K, wire 64, contact of track relay R wire 66, contact 67 of track relay R wire 68, winding of relay K wire 69 and lower arm of pole-changer P to battery 60. Polechanger P is operated by a. signal S in such manner that the pole-changer is in normal position when the signal indicates proceed or caution, but in reverse position when the signal indicates stop. Located adjacent relay K is an auxiliary relay X which is controlled in such manner that it is normally de-energized, but becomes energized when an eastbound train passes signal S. lVhen once energized, relay X remains energized until the eastbound train passes out of section FG. The circuit for relay K is provided with a branch around contact 63 of relay K, which branch passes from wire 61, through wire 70, contact 71 of relay X, and wire 72 to wire 6 1-, Relay K is provided with a circuit similar to the circuit for relay K that is, relay K is controlled by the track relays for section F-G and by relays located at signal S and similar to relays K and X at signal S. Similarly the relay of signal S, corresponding to relay K, is controlled by the track relays for'section G-H. It will be seen, therefore, that relay K is energized in the normal direction when the track is unoccupied, is tie-energized when a westbound train is between points E and H, and also when an eastbound train is in section EF, and is energized in the reverse direction when an eastbound train is in section F-G. The control of relay K is in accordance with standard practice in absolute permissive block signaling, and such control is illustrated, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 1 #100,964, granted to R. A. McCann on Dec. 20, 1921, in which patent relay R corresponds to relay K of the present disclosure.

There is also provided a pole changing relay L which is controlled by means forming no part of the present invention and omitted from the drawing, so that under normal conditions, this relay is energized. Relay L is de-energized, however, from the time an eastbound train enters stretch A-D, until such train passes point E, and is also deenergized when a westbound train passes signal S and until such westbound train reaches a point in section C-D. One arrangement of apparatus for controlling the pole changer relay L in this manner is shown in the said United States Patent No. 1,400,- 964, issued Dec. 20, 1921, to R. A. McCann. The pole changer relay here ref-erred to is designated M in the specification and drawings of that patent.

I also provide a second polarized relay K for controlling signal S as follows:

Signal S is provided with a proceed operating circuit which may be traced from a suitable source of energy such as a battery 20, through wire 40, front contact 41 of relay K", wires 42 and 45, normal contact 16 of relay K wire 17, operating mechanism of signal S, and wire 1 1 back to battery 20. This circuit is closed only when relay K is energized in the normal direction under which conditions signal S displays a proceed indication. lVhen relay K is energized in the reverse direction the circuit for signal S passes from battery 20, through wire 410, front contact 11 of relay K wires 42 and +13, operating mechanism of signal S, and wire 14 back to battery 20. When this circuit is closed signal S indicates caution. lVhen relay K is de-energized, both circuits for signal S are opened and the signal displays a stop indication.

Relay K is supplied with energy from a suitable source, such as a battery 19 over a circuit which passes through wire 21, front Contact 22 of relay L, wires 23 and 24, normal contact 25 of relay K wire 26, front contact 27 of relay K wire 28, front contact 29 of track relay R wire 30, front contact 31 of track relay R, wire 32, winding of relay K, wire 33, front contact 34: of relay L, wire 35, and back to battery 19. When this circuit is closed the current supplied to relay K is of such polarity that the relay is energized in the normal direction.

When relay L is tie-energized and relay K is energized, as when a westbound train occupies section D-E, the circuit for relay K may be traced from battery 19, through wires 21 and 36, back contact 3 1 of relay L, wire 33, winding of: relay K wire 32, front contact 31 of relay R wire 30, front contact 29 of relay R wire 28, front contact 27 of relay K wire 26, normal contact 25 of relay K wires 24 and 23, back contact 22 of relay L, and wire 35 back to battery 19. When this circuit is closed relay K is supplied with current of such polarity that this relay is energized in the reverse direction.

When a train moving from east to west is between 1* and H, relay K is de-energized, and a branch is closed for either of the cir cuits just traced which branch connects wire 29 directly with wire 28 by means of back contact 27 of relay K Relay K is therefore energized in one direction or the other according as relay L is energized or de-energized, provided relay K is energized in the normal direction, or de-energized, and provided relays R and R are energized.

It will be plain that the presence of a train in either sub-section EJ or J-F, will de-energize the corresponding track relay and hence will cause signal S to display a stop indication by the de-energization of relay K A train moving from west to east, however, after moving out of sub-section (l -F, will allow the energization of relay R and relay K will then be energized as long as such train is in section F-TG. Assuming section DE and sub-section E.l to be unoccupied, relays R and R will also be energized. If relay L be energized current wil flow from battery 19, through wire 21, front contact 22 of relay L, wires 23 and 38, front contact 39 of relay R wire 50, reverse contact 25 of relay K, wire 26, front contact 27 of relay K wire 28, front contact 29 of relay R Wire 30, front contact 31 of relay R wire 32, winding of relay Y wire 33, front contact 34: oi relay L, and wire 35 back to battery 19. hen this circuit is closed relay K is of course energized in the normal direction andsignal S displays a proceed indication to permit the train in section F-G to return. into section EF. It is thus plain that the only time when the proceed indication of signal S is controlled by tralfic conditions in section DE is when relay K is energized in the reverse direction, which can occur only when an eastbound train occupies section FG.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form and arrangement of railway traflic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of track divided into a right-hand section and a lefthand section, a signal for governing traffic from right to left through said right-hand section, a relay arranged to be de-energized when a train moving from right to left approaches said left-hand section but to be energized when a train moving from left to right passes said signal, a second relay, means for energizing said second relay when said first relay is de-energized and said right-hand section is unoccupied, means for at times energizing said second relay when said first relay is energized and said righthand and said left-hand sections are both unoccupied, and means controlled by said second relay for operating the signal.

2. In combination, a stretch of track divided into a right-hand section and a lefthand section, a signal for governing trail-icfrom right to left through said right-hand section, a relay arranged to be ole-energized when a train moving from right to left approaches said left-hand section or a train moving from left to right occupies said right-hand section but arranged to be energized in the normal direction at times when a train moving from left to right occupies said left-hand section and to be energized in the reverse direction when a train moving from left to right passes said si nal, and means for causing the signal to indicate proceed when said relay is energized in the reverse direction and said left-hand section is unoccupied.

In testimony whereof I alliX my signature.

CHARLES H. LAY. 

